Constitutional amendments to enshrine government ownership of utilities
This Friday, the government is convening a sitting of the House of Representatives. It is a special sitting at which the Prime Minister will get House approval to change the constitution to entrench control of utilities. Firstly, having nationalized and then re-nationalized Telemedia in a span of twenty-two months and nationalized Belize Electricity Limited a month ago, through its super majority in the House, government will amend the supreme law of the land for it to “at all times have majority ownership and control of public utilities.” The remaining wording of the proposed amendment is worrisome. It reads that the Bill will “clarify the provisions relating to the amendment of the Constitution and to safeguard the independence and integrity of the legislative process.” From what the Prime Minister said on Wednesday, he will not only legislate ownership of utilities, but is going further to secure protection against any legal challenge to the ownership of utilities. Secondly, it’s the ninth amendment to the constitution that is being proposed, and organizations such as the Human Rights Commission are wary and say that constitutional changes should not be carried out as a knee jerk reactions.
I HOPE THE HONDURAS COMPANY IS CHECKING THE NEWS. THEY SHOULD WALK AWAY FROM BUYING THE SUGAR FACTORY.ONCE THEY BUY PM WILL GO AND CHANGE THE LAW.NOW THIS ALSO NEED FOR THE PEOPLE TO MAKE SOME NOISE FOR HIM TO GO AFTER THE OIL COMPANY NO EXCUSE NOW FOR HIM NOT TO CHANGE THE LAW.WAKE UP MY PEOPLE THERE IS NOTHING TO LOOSE .SOON HE WILL CHANGE THE LAW TO HANG HIMSELF.
Suffice it to say that the nationalization and renationalization of water, power,and communications systems have been an act of waste inasmuch as there no benefits that we didn’t have previously but we added to already exorbitant costs.Government lacks the high tech tools to compete and procuring them will exacerbate costs upward making innovations prohibitive. Government also lacks the expertise and professional management to provide efficiencies and economies in the various markets. This is evident from the observed statistical data gathered and analysed. Barrow will make you feel good with his jamaican silvery tongue but the reality of his actions belie his speech. Belize is between the devil and the deep blue sea.
@ reggie -So you want him to go after the oil company and chase away all engineers (who are train for this) and investors and put in people who don’t know the elbow from they knee to run something .
Its ignorance like that this country does not need I can guarantee the first major oil accident will happen if the government take over and you wa really feel the economic crisis then .
While you at it why not do the same with the port and the airport. Remember My Legacy B4 My People.
how you mean no trained people in Belize this should be any surprize at all since UDP took over there are no qualify people any where begining with the PM wonder if u all have read an article about BAHA and the tree blind mice if u havent pls seek and read
I do not know about all of it but at least the current has been stable and ON!!!!
Seems no body complained when the water was taken back by the previous government!!!!!!
what bolony….these companis were always better privatized. we get no benefits only their people reap and i guess that is what they want to do before pup take over and change it all back.
the BWS or Belize Water Services ,was taken under the previous PUP administration and it was not by FORCE, or by defaming a court ruling,the PUP- Musa Administration did compensate the previous owners of BWS, not like dean barrow just changed the constitution and took over BTL,BEL by force/dictator style and wants to come with excuses thats its for the “Belizean People”….come on what do we Belizeans benefit from the BTL,BEL take over or what sense makes if he takes over BNE? STILL WE WILL NOT BENEFIT AT ALL…nothinggggggggggggg . dean barrow promised to bring down the cost of living NO MATTA WHAT!!!!!!!!! has it gone down? NO its just gotten worst.yes he has bring down the cost of living for his royal family and cronies nada mas……….now he want to come and sell BSI shame on him,he can take fi we Social Security $50 million hard earned by thousands of Belizeans,and another $20 million from the Central Bank and invest it in BTL while we no the get NOTHING NO BENEFIT FROM BTL,,but he cannot invest in a factory that is for the Belizean people ,about 50,000 cane farmers/people from the north/ and more across the country depend directly from the sugar industry and wants to fool ,fool we again….NO TO THE SALE OF BSI…….’
agreeeeeeeeeee 100%%%%%%%%%%%% Ivan,dean barrow is a disgrace to this country, its time we stand for our country before its toooooooooo late,lets call for CIVIL DESOBEDIENCE, HE IS THE MASTER FOR THAT AND ALL THE “MALDICION” FALLEN IN OUR COUNTRY. do u think dean barrow cares for the Belizean PEOPLE NOOOOOOOOO,he is using the Belizeans as his BAITS “CARNADAS”………FOR HIS OWN ENRICHMENT.
If the Belizean people are going to benefit from these amendments then i think it would be a good thing.But as we all know this will only benefit the few and the proud.
Folks someone said this before, and I’m restating it here again: This move by Borrow is to have slush funds to give away for political purpose. All the revenus including your taxes are under the UDP control to give away as they please. This guy and his administration are as dangerous as a COBRA in the grass. You all can force him to leave by calling early election, but you have step up to the plate and exercise your consttutional rights by civil disobedience from boarder. Remember, fear can be our biggest enemy, When someone get you to be affraid they can do with you as they please.
One of the risks of privatization is that we now have to find majority money to invest in these sectors to expand. We also accept the risk that in a major natural disaster, we as majority shareholders will need to find the money to repair damages…albeit if it costs “millions”. The demand for electricity, for example, increases about 10% per year, and BEL has never caught up with supplying the demand.
first of all don’t these constitutional changes go be before the people of Belize. I don’t think Pm speak for the entire country on this matter. this PM need to stop his bulling and demands to benefit himself and start thing of the people of Belize. Belizean just take it as it come and nothing is being said or do by anyone.
Let him buy over BSI. Oh but that is in the north and he might not want to send his family and cronies here.
Get Up, Stand Up Belizeans. What will be nationalized next? Who will control the price of electricity and telecom? Roy Yates stated it correctly ” All your taxes are under UDP control”. Soon the very air you breathe (freedom) will be taxed and controlled by the GOB.